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(No Model.) J. STEINER.

' I TOY.

N0. 364,553. Patented June '7, 188-7.

wi'tmaooeo anvawtoz N. PETER; Pholo-Lifllemphur, Washingtull. u c,

up the slack portion.

' UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE;

JOHN STEINER, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

TOY.

' SPECIFICATION forming part at Letters Patent No. 364,553, dated June 7. 1887.

Application filed September 25, 1886. Serial No. 214,508. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN STEINER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Norwich, county of New London, and State of Connecticut, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Toys, which improvements are fullyset forth and described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which is a side elevation of my device with its elementary parts properly assembled.

My invention is in that class of toys adapted to whirl continuously in a given direction; but instead of spinning on a table or on the ground, as in the case of tops, itrotates within an auxiliary section held by the operator, as hereinafter described in detail.

My device also differs from tops in the fact that it may be kept in motion any desired length of time, while in the case of the top the duration of rotation must be limited.

Referring to the annexed drawing, the letter a indicates a shell of general spherical outline, perforated through its vertical center to receive a stem, 1). This stem has securely fixed to its upper end a ball, 0, of glass,metal, or similar heavy material, and at its lower end is provided with a pin or enlarged head, as shown, to prevent its being'withdrawn from the shell. Shell a is also perforated at opposite sides to receive a string, d, which enters a shell at one side, is carried one turn around stem 1), andpasses out through the opposite side of the shell. To one end of string d, I

attach a weight, 6, and to the other end, preferably, a ring, h, as shown, although a simple knot would serve to prevent the withdrawal of the string.

When it is desired to use my device, the shell on is held between the thumb and indexfinger of one hand and the ring or string is grasped by the other hand. By drawing the vhand outward, in the direction indicated by arrow No. 1, the string clasps stem b firmly enough to rotate both it and'the enlarged portion 0. After having drawn the string its full length the right hand is brought quickly back toward the shell, when weight 6 draws the string in the direction of arrow No. 2 to take During this'return movement the hand of the operator moves much more rapidly than the weight e, and the string slips loosely around stem 7), with no tendency to check the momentum first attained.

The movements described are repeated as long as it is desired to keep the ball 0 in motion.

The weight 6 may be of any suitable mateadopted it. The metal, if hard, cuts the string,

and if soft, soon blackens it, but the filbertshell neither wears the string perceptibly nor discolors it. It has also the desirable qualities of cheapness and novelty to recommend its use.

It will be noted that in the construction described the head 0 and its stem rotate continuously in the same direction, instead of traveling alternately to theright and left hand,

as in the case of ordinary buzzes and whirligigs;

- I am aware that the prior art shows a Whirligig in which a stem is used, having a string with one end secured thereto and adapted to alternately wind around said stem and unwind therefrom, for the purpose of rotating said stem alternately in opposite directions. Said device also shows a shell by which it may be supported and within which the string winds around the stem. In view of such prior art, I do not broadly claim a supporting-shell,a stem adapted to rotate therein, and a string for imparting motion to said stem.

Having described my particular invention and the manner in which it is operated, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The within-described toy, consisting of a shell-section perforated .vertically and laterally, as described, a rotatable head having a stem adapted to pass through the said vertical perforation, and a string passing laterally through the shell and coiled about said stem, said string being weighted at one'end, substantially as herein described,and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN STEINER.

WVitnesses:

FRANK H. ALLEN, EDGAR H. ALLEN. 

